New Year's Resolutions - What's the Point?

Every year, on December 31st, I vow to hit the gym everyday, eat less candy, or spend less time working and little more time playing. However, by February 1st, it seems I have completely forgotten about my New Year’s Resolution and am back to my old ways of walking across the street from the ActivEngage office to the RDV Sportsplex ONLY when I “have the time” (which means it never happens).

So this year, I ask “What’s the point of making a New Year’s Resolution?” After 25 years of broken resolutions, I am clearly doing something wrong or have not been following the right “resolution follow-through plan”.

The Babylonians were thought to be the first to make resolutions for the new year, according to History.com. They made promises in order to earn the favor of their gods - usually vowing to pay off debts or return “borrowed” farm equipment. I wonder how many Babylonians stuck to their resolutions? Let’s be honest - probably zero.

I am sure I am not the only one in this day and age who quickly forgets the promise they made to themselves while having a few glasses of champagne and chowing on pigs in a blanket. But, this year, I vow to make my 2013 resolution unlike previous years! Yes, I am making a vow to keep a vow. And, you should too!

I spent some time this morning researching ways to stay true to your new year promise that I would like to share. Whether you are making a resolution for you personally or for your dealership, these few steps should help you make 2013 the best year yet.

Step 1: Make a Resolution that MattersApparently, if you don’t make a resolution that aligns with your core values, you are setting yourself up for failure. Which basically means, make a resolution that matters to you. Eating less candy is not something that I truly care about. However, feeling good about myself when I am at the beach does.

Step 2: Get specificThe more specific you are, the more likely you will be able to keep your resolution throughout the year. “Increase showroom traffic” or “Get more customer reviews on DealerRater” is not specific enough.

Quick fix: Make your resolutions measurable. Just like any other goal you set, your resolution should be SMART - Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound. A goal such as “Sell 25% more vehicles than 2012 Q2 by end of 2013 Q2” could be your SMART goal.

Step 3: Write it downAccording to Forbes.com, a Stanford University study found that when people wrote down their goal, it increased the probability of them achieving it by over 70%. I was not able to find a link to this study - but if it is true, then get out your pens and pencils folks!

Quick fix: Once you have determined what your resolution will be, write it down, multiple times, and place it in various locations that you visit throughout the day. That way, you have a constant reminder of what you are trying to accomplish this year.

Now it may seem like we have turned the fun of setting a New Year’s Resolution into a science. However, the tips above are very easy and quick to follow - I promise you can still drink your glass of champagne while creating your 2013 resolution!

Everyone at ActivEngage wishes you and yours a safe and happy new year! We are looking forward to what 2013 will bring the auto industry!

Also, comment below if you have set a 2013 resolution - would love to see what you have come up with!

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In 2012, I was able to do something that I thought I would never be able to do...complete a New Year resolution that wouldn't be able to take place until Oct.

My success was to break it into quarters. Have smaller attainable goals that you can achieve that will build up to where you need to be. I am doing it again this year and my resolution again takes place in Oct. I am already measuring up what I did last Oct. to this one and I am freaking out. However, I know that if I stick to my quarterly plan, then I will achieve greatness.

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